Doing Nothing
by ryddance
Summary: In which Alex is caught up in another RTI course, and it's not exactly beneficial to one's health. Post Scorpia Rising, slight AU Slight; Torture, sickfic, swearing


This is my first fic. See massive AN on bottom for more info.

Rated T for slight torture and swearing

Disclaimer: I own nothing that is recognizable from the books. That is all Anthony Horowitz's doing. K

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He remembered not feeling well at supper, so he had opted out of the horrible gruel the SAS dared call food. He didn't think it would help his already turning stomach. He went to bed early, stirring briefly to hear the rest of K-Unit enter the cabin. Alex remembered thinking the sound of their combat boots was too loud before slipping back into sleep.

He gasped awake to a bag being shoved clumsily over his head. Alex briefly heard the loud protests of his unit as they too were woken and taken hostage.

He was pushed and yanked outside. His bare feet stumbled in the mud. Mud? Typical of the Brecon Beacons climate. Dry one hour, and the next it was slippery and cold.

There was a breeze that cut through his light night clothes. At last, Alex was able to regain a semblance of coordination. As he did, he rammed his body against one captor while trying to trip the one on his other side. He should've known better than to try that while he was so disoriented. He fell gracelessly and one of his captors' buddies, who he hadn't heard but should've guessed was there, struck him in the back, winding him.

He fell to his knees, struggling to gain his breath. Sucking at the unyielding air desperately for what seemed like a lifetime when in reality it only must've been a few seconds, he finally regained his breath. As he took his first coughing gasps, he was pulled to his feet. Almost immediately, his knees buckled, but he was held up by one of his captors. For a split second he was held to regain his breath, which was taking longer than usual to get back. When he finally did, he was yanked and pushed and prodded.

He was twisting and turning and slipping and occasionally running into things. It didn't seem like it was going to stop. Alex's stomach rumbled and rolled, but he was glad he hadn't eaten any supper. After what seemed like forever, his feet hit a hardwood surface and he heard a door's rusty hinges screech open. Alex heard a chain being thrown. Maybe over the rafters? Hmm. Well he wasn't going to make this any easier for them.

He listened to the boots of the person preparing the chains. When they paused and started moving towards him, he dropped to the ground before any of them could stop him and curled up in a ball with his knees tucked up and his bound hands stuffed between his knees.

They struggled with him for a minute before doing the same tactic as before and aiming a good hit at his back. Alex coughed, arching his back away from the blow and effectively leaving himself open. His chest tightened as his breath once again left him. Instead of letting him recover, his captors hoisted him up and strung him up by his wrists to the chains.

The air inside his head sac had long ago become stale and hot, which didn't help matters. But when his weight settled against his arms, his breath settled into a light wheeze as his arms were held up while everything else was pulled down by gravity.

His chest was pressed in on itself, his shoulders burned, his back felt as if it was being pulled apart. His legs were dead weight, and his neck pressed down on his throat. Groaning slightly, Alex lifted his heavy neck and leaned his head against one arm to breathe easier.

He could feel some of the healing scars on his back strain and sting slightly. _I really hope this doesn't open them up. I just got the stitches out before coming here._ He could hear and feel his heart pumping hard. His scars throbbed in response. The achy-numb feeling of his bullet wound shot little burst of pain through him. His other arm joined it in being numb.

Alex _really _did not want to do this. But then who did? This was just a part of a training exercise. Right now he was alone. He didn't have to worry about anything he did or said getting back to his Unit. With that thought, he relaxed. It was still tough with K-Unit.

Wolf was still stiff with him. He didn't actively try to bin him or even taunt as much, but the looks he gave Alex were just as bad in some ways. It was almost like he was weighing him up and disappointed in what he saw. Or hated it. Yes those looks said it all for him. _You don't belong here_. And he didn't, Alex knew. He didn't ask for any of this to happen. Everyone he knew or cared about was dead. Because of him. Jack was dead, Tom was dead, and the Pleasures were dead. He had watched Jack die in Cairo. Blunt, he somehow managed to hold on to his job, had told him about Tom's and the Pleasures' deaths the day after Jones had told him he was to be adopted by the Pleasures. Immediately after, Blunt had shipped him off to Brecon Beacons to train with K-Unit again. So here he was.

Snake was quiet, but still seemed like he was a compassionate soldier. Alex had a sort of respect for him ever since the hike last time. He had been brave enough to offer a glimpse of kindness, even with Wolf breathing down his neck. Alex saw Snake occasionally sneak looks of concern at Alex when he thought he wasn't looking. This only made Alex defensive, and he fought harder to cover his true emotions.

Eagle seemed to have lightened up since the last time. He was humorous. It seemed as if he wouldn't shut up at times, and he was a pest. Alex preferred it when he didn't talk. When prompted, Eagle told him that he just got more comfortable around everyone. _Well, he certainly gained enough confidence to come out of his seemingly-introverted shell,_ Alex had mused. He told corny jokes and played pranks on other units. He would behave in dangerous situations or when addressing anyone who could bin him.

K-Unit had just lost another member when Alex came in. The soldier, Bat, had gotten himself binned. Apparently he was an arrogant ass to everyone and the sergeant just had enough. Instead of receiving another soldier, they got Alex.

The sound of the creaky door opening again brought Alex out of his thoughts. He felt the person get closer and felt the hand on his head cover. Knowing what was going to happen, he shut his eyes and felt the cloth rip over his head. He slowly opened his eyes, but found it to still be rather dark. His eyes flew open to glare at his captors. There were four in there. Three were average height while the fourth one was ginormous. Tall and wide. Wide as in muscled. Alex could only see their outlines in the darkness.

Alex winced and slammed his eyes shut as one flipped a switch that turned on a light that blinded him. His interrogators were behind the light.

"Why are you here?" The voice was deep and gravelly, rough. Alex said nothing.

"Why are you here?" the voice repeated nastily, this time accompanied with rough poke to Alex's chest. Alex gasped as his previously forgotten bullet scar let itself be known through the numbing effect of being hung by his arms. His gasp startled a cough from his lips, it was insanely uncomfortable to cough in that position. The Voice snorted at him, but barked something at one of the others behind him. A few seconds later, Alex felt a small stool be placed under his feet. It was just tall enough for him to put some weight on his toes, but it was enough to relieve some of his weight from his arms and chest.

A grunt from the Voice. "Now. Last chance. Why. Are you here?"

Alex scoffed lightly. "To have a playdate with you of course. Why the hell else would I—" he broke off as an open palm struck him in the cheek. Alex tried to find the person the hand belonged to behind the light. "Now, was that hardly necessary?" Another slap. "Oh come _on. _Do you like beating up on children?" A pause and no slap. "Didn't think so." No sooner after he uttered the last word than he felt the chain above him give. Unprepared, Alex fell off the stool and toppled onto the floor.

"Who are your commanding officers? Where do they sleep? Tell me anything useful about them."

Alex took a deep, rattling breath, giving a small cough. "I am sorry I can't answer that question." That earned him a rough kick to the stomach. All of the air rushed out of his lungs.

"Tell me something useful, then."

Alex panted, remembering some of the things that he was told during a lesson that he could answer. "My name is Cub. I am a…soldier. My blood type is A positive." He was pulled up by his arms and pushed against the wall.

"Do you want to end up in the hospital? I can arrange that for you?" This time is wasn't the Voice. This man was so much bigger, he dwarfed Alex. His muscled arm that pressed Alex's sweaty face into the wall earned him the name Muscles in Alex mind.

Alex laughed. "Oh, yeah I forgot to mention. I'd really prefer not to have to go there again." Letting out a deep breath he pushed back weakly. "Capiche?" Muscles growled behind him before shoving off him.

"Come on, man. We need to try the others. Tie him up and let him soak a little. He'll break soon." This was uttered from the thinnest of them—dubbed French Fry—who was still not to small compared to Alex. Muscles grunted but pulled out some zip-ties and bound Alex's hands and feet. Alex watched the men's forms go out the door.

About thirty seconds later, though, the door squeaked open and Alex spluttered as a bucket of icy cold water was thrown on him. His teeth immediately set to chattering. The water puddled around his body. The light was turned off and he was thrown into darkness. The quiet was eerie. He could hear nothing but the sound of his ragged breathing, getting worse by the way, and the _drip-slosh _ sound of the pool he lay in.

Alex tried to get out of the water, but it seemed to cover the whole floor. In his attempt, he did manage to find the wall. He leaned with his back against it, his hand in between his knees, which he brought up close to his chest. The water washed away the hot sweat that clung to him, but it worsened the chilled feeling. There was a slight breeze that came from a tiny opened window just below the ceiling. The draft did absolutely nothing but further chill his wet skin.

Everything hurt; his joints and muscles ached from being hung and kicked. He was hungry and thirsty. His eyes hurt and were heavy with fatigue. He shivered in the empty room. How could there be no sound other than his own breathing?

_Calm._ At once Alex chose to like the calm. When it was calm, he knew it was fine. It was a break, a rest. Calm was the top of a lake on a windless day, where everything reflected off the surface as a perfect upside-down image. Calm was mothers cuddling with their child. Calm was not worrying. It was the clear night sky. Or the slow rhythm of waves beating the shores in the distance. When it was calm, Alex usually didn't have to run for his life.

But Calm could be deceptive. It could be the eye of the storm, where you think you are out of the woods, but you're not. It could be the calm before the storm, when all went to hell. Or it could be the calm before you are gobbled down by the predator that has been quietly stalking you. The calm could be a lapse from one hell to another. A trick. A trick to make you think it was all over and then you were cut down unaware.

But then Calm could be acceptance. It could also be the end. Which would it be for him? When would it be for him?

Alex woke to his chest giving a painful twinge as he coughed. Phlegm rose in his throat and he spat disgustedly. When had he fallen asleep? He groaned.

"Well, at least you are awake." The Scottish voice announced the presence of Snake. "You haven't been out for long. They came and moved you before you fell asleep. Toweled you off, too."

Alex sighed lightly before pushing himself up with his elbows. He was still bound, but he had been adjusted to be a little more comfortable. Alex suspected Snake's handiwork.

"Why are we together?" his voice came out a tired mumble and he fought to stifle a yawn.

"There are a few reasons I can think of. The two I think are most probable are that they think we'll work together in letting this situation get to our heads, and, you are a kid. They may be ordered to do RTI on us, including you, but they are uneasy about the idea of beating up on a child. And _you_, my friend, are a child."

"RTI? Thank God, I thought so. Where are Wolf and Eagle?"

"I imagine they are together, stewing, just as we are, or being interrogated." Alex nodded thoughtfully, ignoring the tightness at the base of his neck.

"Are you unharmed?"

Snake shrugged. Alex noted with a tad of envy that his hands were untied. "I have a couple loosened teeth and a few bruises." He grinned. "But they haven't loosened my tongue. You?"

Alex shook his head. "Nothing except codename, rank, and blood type. And a hint of sarcasm." With a laugh, he said "I love annoying them."

Snake looked at him strangely. "You are one weird lad." When Alex looked at him curiously, he explained. "Well, you're takin' this rather calmly. Just because you did this once, doesn't mean that you can withstand the full course. You cut it short last time if I remember correctly."

Alex's breath hitched slightly in his throat before he let it out, realizing he was talking about the last time he was here, not with his torturers. He flashed a grin. "Are you _trying _to make me panic? It sure sounds like it. Anyway, they can't do that much to us. Rough you up a little. Make you cold, make you endure the wait. It'll end eventually. Twenty-four hours, at most."

"Cub, I'm sorry, but tha' is a load of crap. Think of all the things that could happen in 24 hours. Take it seriously."

"Snake, you can deal with it your way, I'll deal with it my way. Thanks." Alex groaned in frustration at his failed attempts to slip his cable tied wrists. "Can you help me with this?"

Snake glanced at his hand with mild amusement. "Here's a trick, which you can do by yourself. Center the locking mechanism between your hands and tighten them as much as you can. With your teeth. Now, raise your arms above your head, good, and yank them down to your belly like this." He demonstrated a swift motion, flaring out his elbows from his sides. Alex copied the move, and winced when the plastic dug into his flesh before relief rushed through his arms and hands when the locking mechanism gave way to the stress. Snake looked at him approvingly. "Good. The ones on your ankles you can use your nails to pull the lock bar up and release them... Or you can do that." He sighed as Alex got a grasp on each side and ripped it apart, though not without some effort.

Alex looked at him when he sighed. "I don't have much in the way of nails." He held them out for inspection. They were rough-edged and close to the skin.

"Ah, nail-biting. Nails are a defense weapon and useful tools at times."

"Duly noted." Alex gave a light cough as he rubbed feeling back into his ankles. K-Unit knew that he was involved somehow with MI6. They probably thought that his father was an agent, possibly his mother too, and that he was there in need of protection and training while they were on a mission, in the event that he did get captured by their enemies. _If only they knew how deep I was_.

Alex stiffly sat against the wall. He brought his right hand up to massage his bullet scar. His eyes tightened slightly at the twinges of pain it sent out. Unfortunately, Snake noticed. "What's wrong?"

"Ugh. Had an accident as a kid." Not a lie. He was a kid, and he still was a kid. "On the street, I got knocked down and fell off the curb." Also not a lie. A bullet knocked him down. Or a sniper. Oh well. "It was pretty bad." He put a touch of embarrassment into his voice, hoping Snake would back down. No such luck.

"How long ago was it?"

Alex had to think about that one. "It's been awhile. Don't worry about it." _It's nothing compared to the rest of me_. The bullet wound was the easiest thing to rub and ease, and it was almost a habit. Alex liked the reassuring feel of his heart beating beneath his fingertips. It told him he was alive and could continue. Though right now, it felt kind of labored. He frowned. He realized that his cough, and tightened chest were symptoms. He was getting a cold. Crap. "I'm going to get some sleep." With that, Alex pushed off the wall and settled on his back in the corner of the room. Maybe sleep would help stave it off for now. You know, 'sleep was a good healer' or something along those lines.

A part of his mind analyzed it. Advantages: Only two sides to defend, and I can use to two walls as a push-off point. No one can sneak up behind me. Disadvantages: Being backed into a corner. Eh, it's RTI, and I am going to have to go through it anyway. It's not real. It's not real. Screw this.

Meanwhile, Snake stared at him in amazement. Sleep? He wished. His stomach was clenched from nerves. He decided he would get no sleep, so assigned himself the duty of look-out. He looked at Cub, asleep in the corner. Even in sleep, he looked exhausted. He was pale and beads of sweat stuck to his head.

After about 15 minutes, he started to stir. His breathing hitched and soft moans escaped him. His head shifted back and forth slightly, and his eyelids clenched and winced as though in pain. Snake recognized the beginnings of a nightmare and went to shake him awake.

He laid his large hand on Cub's small shoulder to shake him awake and he promptly stumbled back when Cub jerked awake and pressed further into the corner, flinching away from Snake's touch. He blinked as he realized where he was and who he was with. "Damn," he whispered, but broke off with a hacking cough.

Snake did not like the sound of his cough. It was chesty and his breathing was labored. His eyes were glazed and tired, and he was pale. Snake remembered the cold that Cub had picked up a few weeks ago, but it had cleared up quickly. Brushing away Cub's protests, he pressed the back of his hand to Cub's forehead, only to feel the heat of a fever.

"Hey Cub, when did you start to not feel well?" he questioned in concern.

"Hm. B'fore supper. Tha's why I din eat. Went to bed." Snake remembered seeing Cub in bed rather early and thinking it strange. "I'm goin' back to sleep."

"Here. sleep on your side. It'll help keep your lungs a little clearer of that gunk you're hacking up." Snake slowly scooted closer and guided Cub's head so that his head would rest on his leg. Snake would have to somehow call off the exercise and get Cub some medical attention. This looked like pneumonia, and given the conditions, it would get worse rapidly. On second thought… "Cub, I want you to stay awake. Just talk to me. Tell me about yourself. What's your favorite sport?"

Cub looked at him bemusedly before giving a rattling sigh. "Fine. I'll answer your questions. Football."

Snake appraised him. Yes, he looked like a boy who would be good at football. Hell, training had proved he had the speed and stamina and agility. "Alright, what's your favorite color?" Blue. "Favorite football team?" Chelsea. "Favorite drink?" Coke. "Favorite relative?" Silence. He looked down at Cub, whose head was rested against Snake's thigh. His eyes were open and staring sadly. "Cub?"

"I don't know!" Alex sat up quickly, wobbling slightly at the head rush that blackened the edges of his vision momentarily. He sat quietly and answered after a brief second. "My uncle. Next question."

"…What made him your favorite relative?"

Cub paused, but answered, albeit, reluctantly. "He taught me a lot of stuff. When he was home, he would take me on… vacations and we would do activities. He'd teach me little tricks often. Like how to pickpocket. They've come in handy. We went all over the place… Scotland, America, France, Spain, Prague, Austria… all over the place."

"Sounds like you two are close."

"Were," Alex corrected. "He died just before I came here last time."

Snake's eyes widened at this. "What happened? How long before you came here?"

"It was less than a week. He died in a car..." Truth. Fade out. Let _him_ think 'accident'.

The anguish in his voice was apparent and so unlike Cub. Cub was quiet and reserved. More so now than before, but this time it was different. The fact he was talking was shocking, but Snake blamed it on the fever.

Last time, he was mature, but he had a teenager's sarcasm. Now, he was quiet and hardened, almost cold. He seemed prickly and his voice was somber, holding a multitude of emotions.

"Okay, wow, so, uh, umm… tell me about your parents."

"Can't. They're dead too. Everyone's dead, 'cause of me." Alex thought. "Or MI6. It started with them." Snake kept quiet, stunned, wanting to see how much Cub was willing to share on his own.

Cub sat quietly, his fever-bright eyes stared ahead into the empty air. When he finally spoke, his voice was hushed. "He trained me. Maybe he wanted me to become like him. But his job got him shot. Was all a lie. Grooming me to be the perfect…yea. None of it was real." This left Snake slightly confused as to who and what he was exactly talking about. "Then _it _happened. They used me. Bl'kmail. Tha's what it was. They los' their barg'ning chip in the end. I lost…her." This last sentence was accompanied with a soft keening sound. Whoever she was, Cub's grief was apparent and deep.

Snake was a little lost. There were gigantic gaps in Cub's story. "Cub? Who trained you? What happened?" He hadn't made the connection between 'vacations' and 'training'.

"M' uncle. Trained me to be a spy…then, he died…was killed by 'sassin. Left me to the wolves. They…MI6 'r my legal guard'ns. Wha' was he thinking?" Cub was obviously not doing so well. He was relaxed and blabbing his heart out to Snake, whose thoughts were racing and repeating the words _shit, damnit _every few sentences_._ "I lost everything cuz of 'em." With this, Cub mumbling faded as he dropped further down onto his leg-pillow.

Sighing as Cub's wet breathing evened out, Snake slowly put his hand up and gently rested it in the soft blonde hair. He froze as Alex shifted slightly, and widened his eyes as Alex's head pushed slightly into his hand. With more confidence, Snake started to stroke his hand through the tufts of shaggy hair, thinking about how wrong K-Units assumptions had been.

They had been told that Cub would be returning indefinitely. They'd assumed it could be anywhere from six months to a year. I _kid _in the SAS?

The first time, his parents could have gone on a mission and needed someplace to put him before he was shipped off to Point Blanc, where Wolf said he'd run into him attending. Wolf said he was a help because he had actually retained some knowledge from training and kept his head in order to help.

This time, they'd assumed it might be because his parents were in a long-term deep cover. But then, why couldn't he stay at a friend's house, or a relative's? Oh, right, it's probably for protection while his parents are away.

It wasn't long after Alex had dozed off before the interrogators came barging in. It was clear they had formed a plan. They didn't waste time in separating Snake and Alex, ignoring the frantic protests of Snake, gagging the both of them and rebinding them. One soldier held Snake back while another picked up the weak, nearly limp Alex. The other two had left and returned with a chair and a tub of cold water.

Snake's eyes widened at the water. Oooh, shit, this was not good, not good. They would end up killing him.

Alex started struggling as he was sat in the chair. His gag was removed. His eyes were still fever-bright but they held more coherence than earlier, when he was talking to Snake. His short nap must have helped a little. Or maybe it was the ominous appearance of the tub before him. Or a combination of the two.

The Voice walked behind Alex's chair and whispered to him. "I bet this will loosen some tongues, whether it is yours or your companion." Turning to one of his companions he ordered, "Do it. We will question him before the soldier."

French Fry grabbed the back of his neck and forced the struggling Alex's head to the tub. Just before his head was shoved under, he pulled in a deep breath of air, only to start coughing immediately, breathing in water. He hadn't been in for five seconds. They didn't want to actually drown him, and he hadn't had a proper breath drawn.

Alex's head was rushing and all he could hear was a muffled shouting and his breath, his breath was rasping and loud. It drowned out the noises in the room as he was grasped by the back of the shirt and shaken once roughly. But the rough shake seemed to clear his ears of water, so he the first thing he heard was a screaming "….Tell meee!" Alex could barely think, he didn't know who was speaking, responding with an instinctual, though slurred, "No" and the noisy chaos was drowned by a sudden blast of water in his ears, nose, eyes, and mouth before he had finished yelling the word.

This time, he was held under longer. The whole time, his chest wanted to cave in on itself and suck in a lungful of air that they couldn't receive. The first few seconds he struggled in earnest. After that, his struggled slowed abruptly and he just sagged and tried to exhale, but couldn't as there was no air in his lungs. This prompted another coughing fit, where he was pulled out again.

Instead of struggling, he just sagged into the grip that held him. His head lolled to the side. Weak coughs escaped his lips and he struggled to inhale at the same time. He was aware of a rushing _woosh-woosh_ sound, his own spluttering, and background silence. What were they waiting for?

Daniel Fargeson, known to Alex as French Fry, held the back of the soaked shirt with one hand. He didn't hold him under long the first time. He felt as the boy coughed out the breath he had prepared. He had pulled him out and his team had crowded him as he was gaining back his breath. Pete rushed the signal to submerge him again just as that tired sound slipped past the boy's lips, and Daniel hurried to comply. Pete urged him to hold him under longer than last time. "Just a little longer."

"Oi!" Jimmy yelled from across the room. Daniel heard a _clonk_ sound and turned his attention to where Jim stood over the soldier that was with the boy. Snake had leapt into a frenzied, crazy fight and Jimmy had had to knock him out before he could hurt anyone.

Daniel felt as the boy sagged further into the water and ignored his teammates' commands to hold him under just a little longer. He knew they didn't want to actually hurt him, but they couldn't feel what was happening—they weren't the ones holding him and they couldn't feel what Daniel did. He pulled the limp boy's head out of the water, supporting him with a hand on his chest and with the grip on the back of his shirt.

He shushed the others with a glare and gestured with a worried glance. He held Alex as he struggled, trying to inhale fresh air and cough out water at the same time. He was limp. He didn't struggle to escape the grasp, just sagged deeper into the grasp.

Daniel frowned worriedly as he felt the labored breathing rattle and the rapid and uneven heartbeat that fluttered against the large hand that seemed to dwarf the small chest. "Guys, no more." The rest of the team had quieted down quickly and watched tensely as the child gasped. Daniel switched positions in order to pick Alex up. He set him down on the ground and propped him up against the wall.

He lifted a hand to tilt Alex's head up, and his eyes widened when he felt the fever. "Pete! He's sick. Jim, untie the soldier." Snake had stirred and started to struggle. Collin stepped forward quickly and pressed a hand to the boy's forehead. After that he pressed an ear his back and wrinkled his brow. By this point, Snake had been untied and rushed over.

"You dolts!" he snarled. "He's ill. I—he has pneumonia! This will have only made it worse." His hands flew as he checked up on his youngest unit member.

Collin stepped back as he let Snake check on the Alex. "He's oxygen deprived, has a fever, is wet and cold, and needs to be warmed up. His heart rate is quickly and uneven. We need to get him warmed up," Collin stated. He stepped forward and started to tug off the night pants off of Alex.

Daniel had Alex propped up and told Jimmy to go get some medics. Jim set off in a run. Snake was already taking his night shirt off. It was a little heavier than the one Alex wore. Snake's cot was just under a window that leaked cold air profusely so he had a tendency to get cold in the early mornings.

"Get some towels."

"I'll get them." Pete disappeared for a minute before returning with several dry towels. He shook one out before rapidly soaking up any moisture that had splashed onto Alex's legs. "Alright, now his torso."

Daniel struggled to remove the soggy shirt which clung to the boy's small frame. Snake had to help by holding up his arms for removal.

Everyone froze and gaped at the litany of scars that covered the youth's chest. They covered him like a patchwork quilt. Some were faded and old and some of them were fresh. The one with the worst implications stood out directly above his heart. It wasn't necessarily the biggest but everyone in that room knew what a bullet wound looked like. But it was appalling that this…teenager would have one in such a fatal location. The entrance would was relatively small, but the exit wound Snake saw under the left armpit was ragged and quite large. There was still some swelling in the chest, and it looked like it was less than a year old. "Street accident my arse!" Snake exclaimed. _At least I know now why he was so calm._

Pete shook himself out of it as he wiped down the clammy skin. "Flip him." His eyes widened at the boy's back. It was scarred from burns, gashes, cuts, and various other wounds. Everyone knew what the marks said. Alex had been through a lot. The scars showed that he had overcome pain and suffering. They showed that he already had a dangerous job. He was more than just a teenager dropped off by someone who didn't want to deal with him. He'd dealt with worse than RTI.

"Alright. Alright. Let's do this." Pete almost cautiously began to wipe down his back before putting more effort into it, decidedly concentrating on the problem at hand.

Once Alex was dry, Snake wrestled him into his own shirt. It dwarfed him. Grabbing the other towels, he wrapped them around his patient's legs, neck, and chest, trying to warm him as much as possible.

They heard the footsteps of the medics that Jim had bent sent to fetch. They all stepped aside and let them work. They were all treated with a passing harsh look or two when Alex was rushed out.

(Yea, I don't really feel like doing the whole medic part)

It seemed too quiet as they all stood there, looking hopelessly at each other. Snake, now that Alex was in good hands, glared at the others before rushing out to follow the doctors. After a few seconds, Pete and his team followed suit.

The exercise was called off. No one had blabbed, but the health of the youngest K-Unit member had been put in jeopardy. He had started developing pneumonia before supper. His immune system had been compromised earlier by a cold he had picked up and struggled to get rid of. While the RTI wasn't the direct cause for the sickness, it by no means helped anything. The cold and water sped up the process.

Alex stayed in the infirmary and was given a round of antibiotics. He was on the mend. K-Unit were unusually somber around him. No one was poking at him or behaving hostilely.

He didn't remember much about the RTI session, just a few snippets of conversation with Snake. _How embarrassing, _Alex though. _Putting on the sob story, way to go._ He could have died then and there from humiliation.

He had expected it when Snake finally sat down with him to ask what the hell happened. After weighing him up and deciding he meant no harm and the concern was real, Alex told him. Told him about how his parents were killed in a plane bomb when he was three months old, told him about his uncle's vacations and lessons, told him about his death and how MI6 had approached and blackmailed a fourteen-year-old. He told him about Jack, and Tom, and Sabina. How it was all his fault that they were dead.

Then he got to how his dad and uncle were agents. His dad being a double agent for MI6 in Scorpia, and Alex going to find out about his father, and the consequences. Snake had to stifle his surprise to find out that Fox, the youngest in their unit at the time, had gone on to be a MI6 agent. And they though he'd been binned!

Alex got quiet when talking about his last mission. He didn't say much, just that it was a plan laid out by Scorpia and Jack had died in it. It was only a few months ago and the grief was raw and fresh. It was a miracle that Cub, no Alex, he said his name was Alex, was even talking about it to Snake now. It was like he started talking and just couldn't stop, it was all spilling out, and Snake just let him talk.

After Alex had finished and was staring at his hands with a pained expression, Snake spoke. He told him that he was sorry about everything. He apologized for himself and K-Unit. He was angry on his behalf. He assured Alex that Jack, Tom, and Sabina's deaths were not his fault. They knew about him? Yes. They knew the dangers? Yes. Would they have wanted it any other way? Probably not. They were his friends and loved him just as he loved them.

Snake told Alex that his uncle probably didn't know how to raise a kid. It was like Alex being in school and feeling separate from his classmates. After being a spy, normal felt strange and foreign. His uncle bonded with him in one of the only ways he could think of, through his work. He may have thought that Alex would love the adventures and experience—which he did. Ian had had parenthood thrust upon him unexpectedly and had to go with it, feeling it out as he went along. Ian taught Alex skills that would be not only be useful as a spy, but in life. It was his way of ensuring Alex's safety should he die on the job and leave him. His lessons would help Alex be able to handle anything life threw at him, even enemies that were because of his uncle's job. It wasn't a sick experiment, but protection. Ian loved his nephew. And as for leaving the Royal and General Bank as Alex's guardian? Well….'shit happens' and 'people make mistakes'.

Alex listened to this intently, feeling the weight lift off his chest and shoulders. After a short hesitation, Snake pulled him in for reassuring hug.

Later, Snake told Eagle and Wolf a different version. He left out some things that he didn't think Alex would like getting out. It told a lot that he had confided in Snake, and Snake wouldn't be abusing that.

Pete Myers, Daniel Fargeson, Collin Hindericks, and Jimmy Burke also visited the infirmary shortly after the ordeal. Daniel was introduced by the others as the Worry Wart. Daniel retaliated by introducing Collin as Mr. Touchy who was _really sweeter than he looked_, Pete as a "Does-his-job Tightass", and Jimmy as the Silent Guy.

Alex was amused by all this, and really he didn't mind them. They were trying to follow procedure and orders. They prepared soldier for the real world and gave them just a taste of what was out there.

As he stretched lazily on the bed, he told them how he called Pete "the Voice" since that was what he was when he first interrogated him behind the light, Collin as "Muscles", this was received with a satisfied sound from said person, Silent Guy as….well silent, and Daniel as "French Fry". This caused Daniel to go red and the rest, yes even Silent Guy, to burst out in laughter.

"I think I liked Worry Wart better. Anyway, who are _you_ calling French Fry?"

END

**Words: 6,571**

Daniel Fargeson—French Fry Worry Wart

Collin Hindericks—Muscles Mr Touchy

Pete Myers—the Voice Does-his-job Tightass

Jimmy Burke—quiet guy (not featured much) Silent Guy

Haha. I originally had the names as Fargeson, Hindrickson, Jameson, and Coulson. My bad. Jameson I must have gotten from "The Tomorrow People", Coulson from the "Avengers", Hinderson from what my memory thought was Hendrickson but was actually Henriksen from "Supernatural". Fargeson was the one I first came up with. The rest of the …son's just kind of followed. Then I went over it later and went 'oops', so there are the updated names. So. Yeah. There.

Anyways, this was my first fanfic **ever****_._** I feel like it kind of dragged on forever and was kind of repetitive and jumped around a bit. The end was a little rushed. I love to read fics and books, so this was new for me.

I started planning another story before this one. And then I separated a scene. I decided it wouldn't fit in with the other story so I branched off into a new version-ified one-shot, thingy-ma-jigger. Whatever.

I love angst, hurt/comfort, and drama. I expect a lot in any fics I will be writing. I am actually amazed I have published this (hopefully) as I actually hate to share anything I write with people I know. Don't ask, I'm just uncomfortable with it. I think it helps that this is completely anonymous.

A lot of the medical mumbo-jumbo stuff, I just threw together as a mix of WebMD and imagination. Blame anything that doesn't make sense on Alex's sickness messing with his head and making things unclear. And I did kind of brush over his scars. I didn't include all the scrapes and scratches on his arms and legs. WOW, he has been handcuffed so many times. And he's struggled in them, resulting in bleeding, cut wrists. I wonder was his classmates thinks of THAT! (CLAIMER ALERT, CLAIMER ALERT! MINE, MINE, MINE! WEEooo WEEooo). I think I just sounded like a Suburban's alarm going off. Ah, this is what I get for staying and staring continuously at a bright computer screen for several hours.

A lot of this is just hypothetical and some of it is just gained from common experience like 1) landing heavily on back, being winded 2) how it feels when a wave knocks you down in the surf (Ugh) or water sloshing up your nose

3) Did you know it is really weird to breath just a tad of water (while learning Scuba Diving) and struggle to breathe? I was getting oxygen, I could tell I could breathe, but I was just doing it rather forcefully. I learned to cough with the mouthpiece! (Boy, that was weird. It was like they tiny little coughs you hear on cartoons) Yippee for me! I never want to do that again…. Just saying.

Wow, these Author's Notes are kinda fun to blab on. J Please excuse this story's craziness or cheesiness (and mine) and just go with it. I just did the last half in a 3 or 4 hour run and now it's 2 in the morning.

The Title: Doing Nothing

Alex did nothing to escape (though he was sick)

Snake _couldn't_ do anything at first

Alex just accepted the RTI and did not panic (chill, dude)

And anything else you can derive from it (tell me?)

In the end, they did the opposite. Snake talked with Alex, who let it all out. And the interrogators (I don't know where they came from, you can say Green Jackets, but I didn't find much out about the Green Jackets L) ended up talking and sort of making up with Alex about the _thing_. Don't worry Alex understands. :P

I used Snake because I seriously think he is an underused character. I think he could be an interesting one. That was the short version. And I wanted to be different. Meh. Forgive anything about my AN that you don't understand as it is just kind of thrown together with no particular rhyme or reason.

Please review and tell me how it was.

PS. I want you to think. Did Tom and the Pleasures really die. Alex never saw their bodies. Blunt could just be scheming. Or not. That is for you to decide.

FINITO!


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